Resident interrupts burglary at his home

December 8, 2010 1:48:13 PM PST

SANTA ROSA, Calif. --

A resident of rural Sonoma County interrupted a burglary when he returned home Tuesday afternoon, a Sonoma County sheriff's lieutenant said.

The resident saw a woman sitting in an unfamiliar vehicle in his driveway in the 5000 block of Mountain Home Ranch Road, north of Santa Rosa, when he arrived home at about 2 p.m., Lt. Steve Brown said.

When the resident entered his house through an open door, he saw a man carrying some of his property, Brown said. The intruder dropped the property and fled in the vehicle as the resident called 911, Brown said.

Deputies spotted the suspect's car and stopped it on Mark West Springs Road near Quietwater, Brown said.

The occupants, Barry Shell, 52, and Mahara Shanoff, 50, both of Santa Rosa, were identified by the resident as the burglary suspects, Brown said.

They were arrested on charges of burglary, possession of a hypodermic syringe and possession of marijuana.

Shanoff is on probation and also was arrested for conspiracy and outstanding warrants, and Shell is on parole, Brown said. They were booked into Sonoma County Jail and are being held without bail.